


Christmas Dinner

by musikurt



Series: A Macmillan Family Christmas [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Awkwardness, Christmas, Family, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-08
Updated: 2012-11-08
Packaged: 2017-11-18 05:27:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/557381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/musikurt/pseuds/musikurt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected visitor at Christmas dinner sets Ernie off in some unexpected ways.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Christmas Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired in part by a Twitter RP that takes place in a Harry Potter AU.

Ernie was excited. He looked forward to his family's Christmas dinner every year. It wasn't overly extravagant and was almost always just his immediate family in attendance, but it was a tradition that seemed to work for them. He had fond memories of sharing stories from the past year and hopes for the coming one. In a way, it was almost a New Year's celebration, but it was what Christmas meant to him.

He examined himself in the full-length mirror on his closet door. Mrs. Macmillan insisted on 'Sunday best' for Christmas dinner. While in some wizarding families that might mean dress robes, in the Macmillan house it meant well-tailored suits and formal dresses. It was moments like these that made Ernie wonder if his mother really was Muggle-born (which he knew she wasn't; he'd spend plenty of time with his grandparents), but they were also the things that made his family so unique. He smoothed the fabric of his jacket - freshly returned from the cleaners.

Ernie smiled when he saw Justin behind himself in the mirror. Being Muggle-born, he had not needed to worry about Justin having a full Muggle suit to bring to dinner. He couldn't help but admire the way Justin's jacket fit his frame. Justin walked up behind him and reached around to straighten his tie.

"Sorry, it was just the tiniest bit off," Justin whispered. "Pet peeve of mine."

Ernie turned to face him and smiled. "Thanks. I'm looking forward to dinner."

"Me, too," Justin responded. "Is there anything special I should be prepared for?"

"Your guess is good as mine." They both laughed. After the revelation of Mr. Macmillan being gay and having a boyfriend (with Mrs. Macmillan's knowledge) neither of them could even imagine what other secrets might be held by someone in Ernie's family. Despite assurances by his parents that there was nothing more to tell, Ernie kept himself on edge just in case.

"Shall we head on down then?" Justin asked, gracefully gesturing toward the door.

"I believe we shall. Mustn't keep the family waiting." Ernie tried his best imitation of his younger sister, Amanda, who had taken to the mannerisms of a proper lady since the last time he had seen her.

They arrived at the bottom of the stairs to find Mrs. Macmillan and Amanda in matching red dresses and Mr. Macmillan in a crisp black Armani suit with a stark white shirt and skinny black tie. Justin felt like they should be going to a wedding - or possibly some celebrity award show like he had seen on television.

"So, just waiting on one more?" Mrs. Macmillan asked.

Ernie's eyes darted to Justin. They both smiled, immediately thinking that some new, juicy secret was about to be unveiled. Before either could say anything, the bell rang and Mr. Macmillan left to tend to the door. They could hear him talking to someone - a male voice - before Ernie's father returned with a young man with a fair complexion and short black hair in tow. He was clearly dressed to join them all for dinner as well.

"So good to see you," the man said as he gave Mrs. Macmillan a hug.

"You, too," she replied and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

There was an awkward silence for a moment as no one really seemed what to say or what questions to ask. Mr. Macmillan broke the silence. "Ernie, Amanda, Justin: this is Michael." Ernie felt like he was going to faint. This man was the mysterious 'Michael' that had become the object of his father's affections? He didn't look much older than Ernie and Justin.

"Pleased to meet you, my lady," Michael said as he leaned down to kiss Amanda's hand. Her face blushed and she giggled. He stood and shook Justin's outstretched hand. When he got to Ernie, there was a moment of hesitation. Ernie was starting him down, all sorts of questions and things he wanted to say rushing through his head again. He had just begun to accept the revelation from the day before, but now his efforts were undone by the presence of this man at their _family_ Christmas dinner. Not wanting to cause a scene, Ernie eventually offered his hand so Michael could shake it.

"Well, I think we'll go put the last touches on the table," Mrs. Macmillan said before leading Mr. Macmillan and Amanda out of the room. Justin wondered if she left Michael with Ernie on purpose or if it was just poor planning.

"I've heard a great deal about you," Michael said to Ernie, seemingly aware that his presence wasn't entirely welcome.

"Funny, I've barely heard a word about you." Ernie tried to mask his resentment, but it clearly wasn't working.

Justin tried to intervene. "Ernie's just learned everything yesterday, as I'm sure you know since you're here. It's all a bit new for us."

"And you were-- Justin, was it?" Michael asked.

"Yes. Justin Finch-Fletchley. Ernie's f--"

"Boyfriend," Ernie interjected, taking Justin's hand in his. Justin turned to him and gave him a quizzical look. Ernie just stared at Michael and squeezed Justin's hand, indicating he should go along with it.

"Your father didn't tell me that. He said Justin was just a friend."

"Well, maybe he doesn't tell you everything, then." Ernie's eyes were still fixed squarely on Michael when Mr. Macmillan returned to summon them into the dining room. Ernie stood still, holding Justin with him, until his father and Michael had left the room.

"What was that about?" Justin whispered, taking his hand back from Ernie.

Ernie shrugged. "I'm not sure. I just felt the urge to make it clear that we're dad's family." Ernie started toward the dining room. "And I suppose if he can come here and make us all uncomfortable, I can do the same to him."

"Ern," Justin pleaded, "don't do anything to ruin dinner. This isn't like you. You don't act like this."

"I've never been in this situation before. Can you say for certain you'd act any differently?"

"Guess I can't say for sure." Justin shrugged. "Just try to not go overboard?"

Ernie nodded and led Justin into the dining room. They sat next to each other at the table, directly across from Michael and Mr. Macmillan. Ernie tried not to be bothered by the fact that his father had taken a different chair so as to have his wife and boyfriend at either side. There was a silence as the food was passed around the table but the tension seemed to ease once they started eating.

"This is wonderful," Justin said to Mrs. Macmillan.

"Why, thank you, Justin, dear," she replied. "He's so sweet," she said to Michael. "We're glad Ernie found him."

Ernie grinned at Michael. "Yes, I'm very glad I found him, too." Justin stepped on Ernie's foot under the table.

The rest of the dinner was rather uneventful. They shared stories and their hopes in the typical Macmillan family tradition. Ernie learned that Michael was a potioneer in Cornwall and that he met Mr. Macmillan at a gym there. Ernie tried not to roll his eyes too much at the whole scene as he played it out in his head. Ernie, Justin, and Amanda all shared their hopes for the coming school term. Mr. and Mrs. Macmillan talked about the cruise they had been planning for after Amanda and Ernie left at the end of the holiday. Aside from the occasional awkward glances between Ernie and Michael, one probably wouldn't have even known there was tension at the table.

"Well," Mrs. Macmillan said after everyone had a chance to share their stories and hopes for the coming year, "I think it might be time for coffee and dessert in the front room." She motioned for Mr. Macmillan and Amanda to help her. Every holiday, Mr. and Mrs. Macmillan collaborated on the dinner with Amanda and Ernie alternating as helpers. It was partly because it wasn't his turn on the rotation that Ernie was sure to invite Justin to that particular holiday meal.

After the three had left the room, Ernie turned his sights once again on Michael. "So, Michael, you seem rather young. Would it be rude if I asked your age?"

Michael smiled. "I just turned twenty-six."

Ernie almost fell off his chair. "Are you by chance a gold-digger?" He hadn't meant to say it out loud.

"Ernie!" Justin chided him. "Sorry, Michael, I think he's still trying to process all of this."

"It's fine," Michael replied. "No, Ernie, I'm not a gold-digger. And I realize your father could be mine, really, but he's not. And I love him."

"He's forty-three, you know," Ernie replied.

"I do."

Ernie found himself backed into a corner. He had hoped he could get the upper hand in the conversation, but was clearly being bested. In a panic, he reached over and slipped his hand down the front of Justin's pants. Justin's eyes went wide and Michael's face flushed. "Don't mind me," Ernie said to Michael, "like you, I just tend to go after whatever my cock wants without thinking about how it might affect anyone else."

"Ernie," Justin said with a clear anger in his voice. He pulled Ernie's hands out of his pants and stormed out of the room.

"Boyfriend troubles?" Michael asked with a smile.

"Oh, shove it," Ernie jumped up and rushed after his friend. He already regretted everything that had just occurred.


End file.
